The invention which is the subject of this application relates to a toy comprising an article for movement along a playbase, means for controlling the article and said article including further means for imparting a second movement on the same. The toy is for use, typically by a child by manipulating the control means to cause movement of the article along the playbase and in turn movement within or on the article itself. The article to be moved can be a scaled version of any of a human, animal or machine and the playbase can be shaped to define an environment or series of environments in which the child would expect to find the article in real life, thus adding to the realism.
One known toy with a control means for controlling the movement of an article along a playbase is disclosed in Patent Application No.9710939.1 in which the control means and article both include at least one magnet therein such that when the article and control means are placed in proximity, with the playbase intermediate, a magnetic field is created which is of sufficient strength so as to cause the article to xe2x80x9cfollowxe2x80x9d the movement of the control means when powered. The control means includes a portion which is exposed to be moved by the child and said movement is translated by a pantograph arrangement to cause linear movement of the housing in which the magnet is contained.
A problem with this known type of control means and article is that the article itself has no means for generating movement of components of the article so that the article conventionally moves along the playbase with an inanimate appearance.
The aim of the invention is to provide means to cause an article to move along a playbase and to provide movement means as part of the article so that as the article moves along the playbase, the means on the article also move. Yet further it is an aim to have the article movement caused and actuated by the movement of the article along the playbase. These aims allow further realism and animation to the toy by causing the article to move both under the influence of the magnetic field and to have an additional component of movement.
In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a toy, said toy comprising at least one article, and a surface along which said article is provided to move, and a control means arranged to impart a moving action to move the article along the surface, and wherein the article is provided with a movement means and said movement means is driven by the movement of the article along the surface.
In one embodiment the movement means acts as a balancing or positioning means to improve or aid the movement of the article along the surface and can in one embodiment be a wheel or set of wheels which rotate or skid along the surface.
In a further embodiment the movement means is connected to at least a portion of the article to cause said portion to move as the article moves along the surface such that movement of the article imparts movement of the said portion of the article via the movement means.
Typically the movement means is positioned in or on the article such that at least part of the same is in contact with the surface during movement of the article therealong.
In one embodiment the article and control means are provided with magnetic material to create a magnetic field between the same which field causes the article to follow the movement of the control means along the surface. In one embodiment the strength of the magnetic field is sufficient to retain the movement means in contact with the surface as the article moves along the same.
In one embodiment the movement means is a mechanical arrangement including at least one wheel or rotor in contact with the surface such that, as the article moves along the surface the wheel or rotor is arranged to rotate.
In one embodiment, members are located around the periphery of the wheel or rotor to be driven, said members forming part of the article. In one arrangement the members are caused to move between extended and retracted positions repeatedly as the wheel or rotor rotates.
In a further embodiment the movement means includes a wheel or rotor which is eccentrically mounted on a shaft in the article and on which are mounted, for pivotal movement, portions of the article. The pivotal movement is caused by the movement of the eccentrically mounted wheel or rotor as the article moves along the surface.
In a yet further embodiment, a wheel or rotor of the movable means is connected to cause rotation of a portion of the article which would rotate in the real life version of the article. The connection may be direct or, may be via gearing or any other mechanical arrangement.
In a yet further embodiment, the movement means is connected to a drive means such as a clockwork mechanism or other stored energy device such that movement of the article and causes the movement means to move the drive means and store energy which can subsequently be selectively released to cause a further component of movement of the article or other part of the toy, even when the article has ceased to move along the surface under the influence of magnetic attraction.
In a further aspect of the invention there is provided an article which is a scale model depicting an object or being such as a human, animal or machine, said article including at least one magnet in a portion arranged in use to be positioned on a surface along which the article moves under the influence of magnetic attraction and wherein the article includes a movement means which is driven as the article moves along said surface.
In one embodiment the movable means is rotatably movable and is arranged to be in contact with the surface as the article moves along the same. In one embodiment the movement means provides a balance or adds to the range or efficiency of movement of the article along the surface. In an alternative embodiment the movement means is, or is connected to, a portion of the article to impart movement thereof so that the article, while moving along the surface has a further component of movement.
In one embodiment the control means is mounted under the surface and the control means and article are provided with magnets or magnetic material and said magnets and/or magnetic material respectively arranged to create a magnetic field between the two when in proximity so that movement of the control means causes the article to follow along the surface. Typically the magnet in the control means is mounted in a housing located at the distal end from the point of actuation of the control means and, in one embodiment, articulation can be provided between the point of actuation and the distal end so as to allow the distal end of the control means to follow the underside of the playbase surface if the surface is sloped, for example.
Thus, the present invention provides movement means which are driven to move as the article moves along the surface and which in one embodiment add to the stability or efficiency of movement of the article along the surface and/or if the movement means are connected to at least one portion of the article, can be used to move the portion to create an article with animated movement as the article moves along the playbase surface
Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with respect to the accompanying drawings, wherein: